Portable wall panels interconnected to define wall systems are conventionally and extensively utilized to divide large open areas in offices and the like into smaller work areas or workstations. Such wall panels are frequently provided with a removable or openable raceway structure extending along a lower edge thereof and disposed directly above the floor for accommodating electrical and/or telecommunication cabling. In fact, specialized cabling systems and particularly electrical power systems have been developed for use in and extension along the raceway structures associated with such panel systems. Examples of such panel systems and of the raceway structures associated therewith are illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,060,294, 4,199,206, 4,277,123, 4,377,724, 4,596,098, and 5,606,386, all owned by the assignee hereof.
With many of the known panel constructions and specifically the raceway structures associated therewith, such raceway structures have often been restrictive with respect to the space provided therein and with respect to accessibility thereof, particularly as the needs for increased capacity for accommodating electrical and telecommunication capabilities increase. While most of the current raceway constructions adequately accommodate existing electrical systems, nevertheless such raceways generally provide inadequate space for telecommunication cabling or systems. Further, the ever increasing need for increased telecommunication capability throughout the office environment continues to increase the demand for increased cabling capabilities, and many of the existing wall panels have necessarily reverted to an additional cabling channel, such as provided along the upper edge of the panel, so as accommodate the needs of the telecommunication cabling and the increasing space requirements thereof.
The present invention relates to an improved raceway structure which is fixedly attached to and extends longitudinally along one horizontally extending edge of the panel assembly, preferably along the lower edge of the panel assembly, and which provides significantly improved storage space for both power and telecommunication cabling systems while providing significant and unobstructed accessibility thereto, and thereby overcoming limitations and disadvantages associated with many of the conventional raceway structures currently in use.
More specifically, the raceway structure includes a generally U-shaped raceway channel member which resiliently but releasably snaps into engagement with longitudinally spaced supports which are fixed to and project downwardly from the bottom frame rail of the panel. The supports occupy only minimal space within the raceway channel member so as to provide significant unobstructed interior space for accommodating power and telecommunication cabling systems therein. The raceway channel member is provided with significantly increased height relative to its width so as to provide interior channel regions which extend longitudinally of the raceway and effectively define upper and lower channel regions which can individually accommodate the power and telecommunication systems.
In the improved raceway structure, as aforesaid, the supports cooperative with the raceway and are releasably engaged by upper edges of the channel member and provide the primary support for securing the channel member to the panel. The supports in addition provide a support or backing of the side covers of the channel member at a location disposed vertically intermediately upper and lower edges thereof so that the side covers, even with their increased vertical extent, retain their desired flat vertical configuration and can withstand the side impacts which are typically imposed thereon either by kicking or by floor cleaning equipment.
The improved raceway structure of the present invention, as aforesaid, also provides a construction which is economical to manufacture, is easy to install, provides significantly increased space for cabling interiorly of and longitudinally along the raceway, readily accommodates both power and telecommunication cabling systems therein, provides easy and convenient access to the interior of the raceway channel member for installing or accessing the cabling systems therein from either or both sides of the panel assembly, and provides an impact resistant structure for withstanding typical side impacts which are imposed on the side covers of the raceway while retaining the flat and planar configuration of the closed side covers of the raceway and preventing their deformation or release when subjected to accidental impacts.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.